Google Makes Social Networking a Priority for Businesses

On February 24, when Google announced that its real-time search results would now include Facebook public status updates, the importance of professional social networking sky rocketed. Google’s attempt to deliver the newest and most widespread results is causing businesses everywhere to address their relevance in today’s society, and more importantly, on the web.

The Impact on Businesses
Google’s real-time search is forcing businesses to step up their online marketing campaigns. As Google begins to produce search results that are more and more current, businesses are being compelled to constantly update and edit their websites in order to stay relevant. The freshest information will move web pages higher up in the search.
Although Facebook has not yet taken over all of the search results, web analysts expect that to change. They predict that with the advent of real-time searching, companies that do not already use Facebook will decide to build pages in order to better promote their brands.Search Results
Currently, Google’s search results yield only news-related or trending topics. The real-time search will also include pages from MySpace, Twitter, Google Buzz, and other social networking sites.
Google has developed over a dozen new search technologies that help the company monitor billions of real-time sources. The real-time search allows users to view news the instant it happens, regardless of the topic’s popularity.The Future of Real-Time Searching
As social networking updates are instantaneously pulled into Google search results, these sites will begin to be used more as marketing tools and less as communal fan bases. Businesses will not only strive to keep their pages current, but will place a greater emphasis on the navigability and comprehensiveness of their social networking media.